Hearth form for pour-forming a fireplace hearth

Abstract

A hearth form is utilized for pour-forming a fireplace hearth in the absence of eventual removal thereof from an opening established by floor joists and a conventional concrete masonry unit. The hearth form is preferably constructed from two relatively slidable body portions which may be reinforced by inter-engaged parallel channels or grooves. The body portions collectively define a chamber or cavity into which concrete can be poured. A peripheral wall defined in part by side walls and front walls carry brackets for establishing a predetermined space between the hearth form and floor joists, not just for supporting the hearth form upon nails or fasteners and nail centering marks for establishing the location of fasteners to assemble the hearth form in an associated floor opening.

I claim: 
     
       1. A hearth form for pour-forming a fireplace hearth comprising a body constructed from substantially fire-proof material, said body defining a chamber into which concrete can be poured, means for securing said body in spaced relationship to associated floor structure defining an opening within which the fireplace hearth is to be pour-formed, said body being constructed from at least two body portions to effect size adjustment for accommodating the hearth form to different sizes of floor structure openings thereby selectively pour-forming fireplace hearths of different sizes, means for effecting slidable adjusting movement between said body portions, and said slidable adjustment movement effecting means include a rib of one body portion in sliding relationship to a groove of another of said body portions. 
     
     
       2. The hearth form as defined in claim 1 including means for reinforcing said body to reduce deflection caused by the weight of poured concrete. 
     
     
       3. The hearth form as defined in claim 1 wherein said body includes means for indicating the locations at which fasteners are to be placed in the associated floor structure to accurately locate said hearth form within the floor structure opening. 
     
     
       4. The hearth form as defined in claim 1 wherein said securing means include means for suspending said body from fasteners located in the associated floor structure. 
     
     
       5. The hearth form as defined in claim 1 wherein said securing means include means for suspending said body from fasteners located in the associated floor structure, and said suspending means include a plurality of suspension brackets projecting generally outwardly of a peripheral portion of said body. 
     
     
       6. A hearth form for pour-forming a fireplace hearth comprising a body constructed from substantially fire proof material, said body defining a chamber into which concrete can be poured, means for securing said body in spaced relationship to associated floor structure defining an opening within which the fireplace hearth is to be pour-formed, means for reinforcing said body to reduce deflection caused by the weight of poured concrete, and said reinforcing means is defined by at least one reinforcing rib running along a bottom wall of said body and continuing along opposite side walls of said body. 
     
     
       7. The hearth form as defined in claim 6 wherein said body includes means for indicating the locations at which fasteners are to be placed in the associated floor structure to accurately locate said hearth form within the floor structure opening. 
     
     
       8. The hearth form as defined in claim 6 wherein said securing means include means for suspending said body from fasteners located in the associated floor structure. 
     
     
       9. The hearth form as defined in claim 6 wherein said securing means include means for suspending means include a plurality of suspension brackets projecting generally outwardly of a peripheral portion of said body. 
     
     
       10. A fireplace hearth comprising a floor structure defining an opening, a hearth form located within said opening, said hearth form comprising a body constructed of substantially fire-proof material, said body defining a chamber, solidified concrete within said chamber, means for securing said body in spaced relationship to said floor structure, said floor structure including at least one floor joist defining a portion forward of the fireplace hearth, and said securing means secure a forward portion of said hearth form in substantially spaced relationship to said one floor joist. 
     
     
       11. The fireplace hearth as defined in claim 10 wherein said body is constructed from at least two body portions to effect size adjustment for accommodating the hearth form to different sizes of floor structure openings thereby selectively pour-forming fireplace hearths of different sizes. 
     
     
       12. The fireplace hearth as defined in claim 10 including means for reinforcing said body to reduce deflection caused by the weight of the solidified concrete. 
     
     
       13. The fireplace hearth as defined in claim 10 wherein said body includes means for indicting the location at which fasteners are placed in the at least one floor joist to accurately locate said hearth form within said opening. 
     
     
       14. The fireplace hearth as defined in claim 10 wherein said securing means includes means for suspending said body from fasteners located in said at least one floor joist. 
     
     
       15. The fireplace hearth as defined in claim 10 wherein said securing means include means for suspending said body from fasteners located in said at least one floor joist and said suspending means include a plurality of suspension brackets projecting generally outwardly of a peripheral portion of said body. 
     
     
       16. The fireplace hearth as defined in claim 10 including side floor joists located in space relationship to each other, each side floor joist being in spaced adjacent relationship to a side portion of said hearth form, and said securing means. 
     
     
       17. The fireplace hearth as defined in claim 16 wherein said body is constructed from at least two body portions to effect size adjustment for accommodating the hearth form to different sizes of floor structure opening thereby selectively pour-forming fireplace hearths of different sizes. 
     
     
       18. The fireplace hearth as defined in claim 16 including means for reinforcing said body to reduce deflection caused by the weight of the solidified concrete. 
     
     
       19. The fireplace hearth as defined in claim 16 wherein said body includes means for indicating the locations at which fasteners are placed in the at least one floor joist to accurately locate said hearth form within said opening. 
     
     
       20. The fireplace hearth as defined in claim 16 wherein said securing means includes means for suspending said body from fasteners located in said side floor joints. 
     
     
       21. The fireplace hearth as defined in claim 16 wherein said securing means include means for suspending said body from fasteners located in said side floor joists, and said suspending means include a plurality of suspension brackets projecting generally outwardly of a peripheral portion of said body. 
     
     
       22. A fireplace hearth comprising a floor structure defining an opening, a hearth form located within said opening, said hearth form comprising a body constructed of substantially fire-proof material, said body defining a chamber, solidified concrete within said chamber, means for securing said body in spaced relationship to said floor structure, said floor structure including at least one floor joist defining a portion forward of the fireplace hearth, and said securing means secure a forward portion of said hearth form in substantially spaced parallel relationship to said one floor joist. 
     
     
       23. A fireplace hearth comprising a floor structure defining an opening, a hearth form located within said opening, said hearth form comprising a body constructed of substantially fire-proof material, said body defining a chamber, solidified concrete within said chamber, means for securing said body in spaced relationship to said floor structure, said floor structure including a pair of spaced side floor joists located one at each of opposite side portions of the fireplace hearth, and said securing means secure side portions of said hearth form each in substantially space relationship to an associated one of said side floor joists. 
     
     
       24. A fireplace hearth comprising a floor structure defining an opening, a hearth form located within said opening, said body defining a chamber, solidified concrete within said chamber, means for securing said body in spaced relationship to said floor structure, said floor structure including a pair of spaced side floor joists located one at each of opposite side portions of the fireplace hearth, and said securing means secure side portions of said hearth form each in substantially spaced parallel relationship to an associated one of said side floor joists. 
     
     
       25. A fireplace hearth comprising a floor structure defining an opening, a hearth form located within said opening, said hearth form comprising a body constructed of substantially fire-proof material, said body defining a chamber, solidified concrete within said chamber, means for securing said body in spaced relationship to said floor structure, said floor structure including at least one floor joist defining a portion forward of the fireplace hearth in spanning relationship to and substantially between a pair of spaced side floor joists located one at each of opposite side portions of the fireplace hearth, and said securing means secure a forward portion of said hearth form in substantially spaced relationship to said one floor joist and secure side portions of said hearth form each in substantially spaced relationship to an associated one of said side floor joists. 
     
     
       26. A fireplace hearth comprising a floor structure defining an opening, a hearth form located within said opening, said hearth form comprising a body constructed of substantially fire-proof material, said body defining a chamber, solidified concrete within said chamber, means for securing said body in spaced relationship to said floor structure, said floor structure includes at least one floor joist defining a portion forward of the fireplace hearth in spanning relationship to and substantially between a pair of spaced side floor joists located one at each of opposite side portions of the fireplace hearth, and said securing means secure a forward portion of said hearth form in substantially spaced parallel relationship to said one floor joist and secure side portions of said hearth form each in substantially spaced parallel relationship to an associated one of said side floor joists. 
     
     
       27. A fireplace hearth comprising a floor structure defining an opening, a hearth form located within said opening, said hearth form comprising a body constructed of substantially fire-proof material, said body defining a chamber, solidified concrete within said chamber, means for securing said body in spaced relationship to said floor structure, said body being constructed from at least two body portions to effect size adjustment for accommodating the hearth form to different sizes of floor structure openings thereby selectively pour-forming fireplace hearths of different sizes, means for adjustment movement effecting means include a rib of one body portion in sliding relationship to a groove of another of said body portions.